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The Los Angeles Music BlogSun, 02 Aug 2015 16:51:32 +0000en-UShourly1Show Preview: The Antlers @ The Troubadourhttp://lamusicblog.com/2014/07/news/show-preview-the-antlers-the-troubadour/
http://lamusicblog.com/2014/07/news/show-preview-the-antlers-the-troubadour/#commentsThu, 10 Jul 2014 16:00:24 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=113767Since their last visit to LA after the release of their Undersea EP, The Antlers have recorded, released, and begun touring in support of a new full-length, Familiars. From their debut Hospice to Burst Apart, the Brooklyn trio has consistently astounded audiences with their earth-shatteringly beautiful perspectives, and their latest album lacks none of what we’ve come to love from the band.

Using haunting keys, horns, and heavily-laden bass, The Antlers certainly know how to set the mood. From sultry to soulful, the band has the power to evoke the deepest range of human emotions all within about five minutes, and this weekend the New York natives will visit LA for a pair of sold-out shows at The Troubadour. If you don’t have yours already, keep your eyes peeled for extra tickets to the July 12th and 13th dates; two sold-out shows means you won’t be able to see The Antlers in a venue this small again anytime in the near future!

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2014/07/news/show-preview-the-antlers-the-troubadour/feed/0April’s Best Rock Shows In LAhttp://lamusicblog.com/2014/03/news/aprils-best-rock-shows-in-la/
http://lamusicblog.com/2014/03/news/aprils-best-rock-shows-in-la/#commentsMon, 31 Mar 2014 19:00:06 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=109163Need some suggestions for where to rock out this month? LA’s got you more than covered with twenty shows topping the list this April.

If you are a rock and metal fan, this is the single best night of the year for the genre. Make your voyage to rock ‘n roll Mecca at least once if you can. If you aren’t lucky enough to gain access inside the show, get to LA Live early to catch a glimpse of all your favorite rockers on the Black Carpet — bring your photos for autographs!

The musical side project of Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno, Far guitarist Shaun Lopez, and Chuck Doom is one of the hottest tickets across the country. Add in the fact that they are from Los Angeles, you can forget about tickets…this show is SOLD OUT.

6. Lacuna Coil with Eve to Adam and Nothing More – April 1st at The Roxy – Tickets

Show up early for Nothing More. The Texas-based alternative rock band has been making waves after a feature at SXSW and opening slot runs with a few name bands across the country, but anyone with an ounce of taste in the rock world knows that this is the hottest emerging band in the genre.

If you have never seen an acoustic set by a major rock band, give your ears the break and cross it off your bucket list April 11th. There is no better way to reconnect with some of your favorite rock bands than an acoustic set, and Sevendust is one of the best stripped-down bands on the circuit.

One of music’s most celebrated guitarists (Madonna/Prong), Monte Pittman is a Los Angeles favorite. A Monte Pittman show is one of the best excuses to throw back cocktails and listen to world-class rock music on Sunset.

Hosted by comedian Jay Davis (known for his run on Dane Cook’s Tourgasm) and LA’s best kept secret, Supernaked, every Friday night at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal City, this is one of the best and by far most unique residencies in Los Angeles. Expect some of the biggest names in music and comedy, such as Daniel Tosh and members of No Doubt, to pop up on any given Friday.

Not necessarily a “rock” show, but a weekly hang for some of the biggest names in rock, pop music, and comedy makes for a pretty rock ‘n roll outing. Sit up front and drink a lot…

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2014/03/news/aprils-best-rock-shows-in-la/feed/1Show Review: Moon Taxi @ The Troubadourhttp://lamusicblog.com/2014/01/review/show-review-moon-taxi-the-troubadour/
http://lamusicblog.com/2014/01/review/show-review-moon-taxi-the-troubadour/#commentsWed, 22 Jan 2014 19:00:00 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=105793In the wake of their performance on Conan last week, hot up-and-comers Moon Taxi played to a packed house at the Troubadour Thursday night. I’d heard good things about the Memphis five-piece, and so I donned my favorite West Hollywood get-up (fishnet halter top, fur miniskirt, bondage tights, pacifier — pretty standard, really) and headed down to Santa Monica Boulevard to check them out.

I’d never been to the Troubadour, and I was thrilled just to be there. My inner hick never gets tired of treading the same ground as the legends. Here was the front bar where Don Henley and Glenn Frey first met! Here was the stage where Elton John made his US debut and Billy Joel played in LA for the first time! Could I have been standing in the spot where Carly Simon and James Taylor first made each other’s acquaintance, or maybe lounging against the back bar where the guy who decided to sign Guns ‘n Roses had been standing? Maybe someone famous had puked or gotten felt up while standing in the very spot where I sipped my rum and Coke. Isn’t LA glamorous?

Being whipped into a nostalgic frenzy, then, was understandable, especially after the Black Crowes-y rockabilly stylings of LA’s own Fortress Social Club. The band’s straight-from-the-70s attire and lead singer Shawn Harris’s Joe Walsh-style energy only worsened my starstruck nostalgia. Leave it to Hollywood to make you wistful for a time you never knew.

By the time Moon Taxi hit the stage, I thought I was over my sentimental streak for the evening, but I was wrong. Between the throwback swag of fair-haired, angelic, dreamy-ass lead singer Trevor Terndrup and the masterfully melodic work of guitarist Spencer Thomson, I was ripped from my Formica-orange ’70s fantasies and tossed straight into a much less expected set of rosy musical memories: the ’90s.

No, not the delightfully tacky Color Me Badd ’90s that I’m so fond of, but the ’90s that brought us Weezer and Sublime and Incubus and Jane’s Addiction and Rage Against The Machine and were themselves affectionately inclined toward the ’70s. You know, the ’90s that rocked. Don’t take that to mean that Moon Taxi sounds dated. It’s more like they cherry-picked the best elements of ’90s rock and synthesized them into a modern sound that can alternately remind you of a fresh version of any of the aforementioned bands.

If you know me, then you know I’m a sucker for a cute frontman, especially one who’s reminiscent of a pretty, blond Billy Squier with the pipes to match. Indeed, the only thing that can reliably distract me from a hot guy singing well in tight pants is the quiet guy next to him who’s absolutely shredding his instrument. Spencer Thomson couldn’t look more unassuming, but his guitar work is like Rage’s Tom Morello meets Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler meets Queen’s Brian May; in other words, he’s captivating. He also produced the band’s most recent album, Mountains Beaches Cities, which doesn’t surprise me. He plays guitar like a man who has an eye for detail and a drive for perfection.

Two equally impressive things struck me about Moon Taxi: the seamless incorporation of a variety of influences into their sound — from Long Beach to prog rock to grittiness bordering on old-fashioned country — and the readily apparent musicianship of each member of the band. The round of solos that went down near the end of their set provided more than enough evidence of their chops; none of these guys is sliding by on their looks.

Moon Taxi continues on their North American tour through June, and their new live EP, Acoustic on West 56th, is available on iTunes. Who couldn’t use five more talented guys in their life?

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2014/01/review/show-review-moon-taxi-the-troubadour/feed/4Interview With Los Angeles’ Blackmorehttp://lamusicblog.com/2014/01/interview/interview-with-los-angeles-blackmore/
http://lamusicblog.com/2014/01/interview/interview-with-los-angeles-blackmore/#commentsTue, 07 Jan 2014 20:00:46 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=105109One of the best things about live music in Los Angeles is that without any expectations, you can stumble upon a band that completely reaffirms your belief that great music isn’t only found on the radio.

Music bills across LA, the Sunset Strip, and Hollywood are ripe with respectable unsigned talent, but few come out the gate swinging as hard as Blackmore. Named after the legendary British guitarist, this one-year-old LA rock band has all the elements to be a major player in the hard-rock circuit — including veteran guitarist & producer Sonny Mayo (Sevendust/Snot) at the helm in the studio — and they showed off their wares Friday night, January 3rd, at West Hollywood’s Troubadour.

Based on pure musicianship and the vocal quality of frontman Adrian Barrios, Blackmore’s live show is on track to rival even the most seasoned bands in hard rock and metal. The addition of a violinist to a set heavy enough to insight most pits was the unique touch that not only piqued my interest, but had an impressively packed Troubadour floor swarming.

Punctuated by the insane guitar duo of Vahan Aslanyan and Shaunt Sulahian, tracks that employed the violinist, such as “Beautiful Hurricane,” were almost reminiscent of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra – except this you’d actually listen to all year long.

I snagged a few words with the guys before they hit the stage last Friday for the first (hopefully) annual Animalistic concert celebrating LA’s local music scene. Here’s what the band had to say about their debut EP, plans for 2014, and linking up with Sonny Mayo.

Photos by: Eduardo Kasparian

How long have you guys been together in this band?

All: One year.

So brand new. How did you all come together for Blackmore?

Vinny Mezian (drums): A couple of us in a garage. Dave I knew from high school…

Shaunt: We found Adrian online, and it just worked out. [Laughs]

David Dadoyan (bass): It was like “Male Looking for Four Males.” [Laughs]

David: We give you the musicianship, and we give you the stage presence. Honestly, I think that’s what it’s really about. We’re covering those bases, so we’re pretty happy.

Shaunt: I really like adding melodies to songs. As heavy as you get, ya know, I feel like a song is based on vocal melody. That’s what makes a good song.

Do you guys consider yourselves more rock, more metal, melodic metal…?

All: Hard rock!

Vahan: It’s something that anyone can listen to because it still has the clean singing and stuff like that, but at the same time, being music nerds, we still want to make it technical and nice — something that pleases us.

Vinny: Everybody lives and breathes their instruments.

So what really makes you different than other hard rock or active rock bands on the circuit?

Adrian: We can play our shit live.

All: [Laughs]

Vinny: Everybody comes from a different background in music. Adrian has classic rock appeal, I have very intricate metal drumming, Dave has that Tool bass feel going on. These guys [Shaunt and Vahan] have the Euro-metal going on.

Adrian: I think what makes us different is that you’ve got a lot of people out there nowadays — guitar is really popular, everyone loves it, and they’re all out there doing their thing — but what definitely attracted me to this band is [that] Shaunt does a lot of writing. I’ve heard a lot of people play a lot of music — I’m a little older than they are — and I really like the stuff he writes. It’s really unique. It’s out there, and that’s what makes a good band good anyways. The rest of us all know our shit, so together, it’s a good force, ya know?

Shaunt: Honestly, we gotta focus on good songwriting. If you write a good song, people will genuinely feel it. Once people know it’s a good song, they come out and support it. That’s how a good band is established.

Sonically how are you guys different than what’s already out there in this genre?

Vahan: Like I said before, it’s different, yet familiar. You’ll listen to it and be like, “I don’t know what it is about this…but I like it.” It’s that tingly feeling you get in your stomach when you just know…

David: That’s what it did to us. All of us are our hardest critics already….

Shaunt: At the end of the day, we want to mix classic rock with modern metal. I feel like that’s not out there that much anymore, and it’s something we want to bring back.

Is that something you want to do being the “classic metal guy,” Adrian?

Adrian: Yes. I’m influenced by a lot of classic and grunge singers like Chris Cornell, who’s one of my favorite singers. And of course Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant…classic. It’s definitely classic. That’s my foundation, and then I try to take it and evolve it into more of a modern feel.

Are most of you from LA?

Adrian: I’m from New York originally. I moved here two years ago.

Shaunt: Born and raised.

Vahan: Two years.

Do you guys embrace being an “LA” band?

Adrian: I don’t know. I mean, we started here, so it’s our home turf, I guess you could say. We could be from anywhere — it doesn’t really matter to us. As long as our music is heard by the masses, who cares where it’s from?

Vinny: A lot of people argue that the music scene is dead, but frankly, from what were seeing, LA has been giving us a lot of love.

Vahan: Like this event right here. When we originally decided to do Animalistic 2014, we wanted it to be an annual thing and an event where more local bands can do this and come and support other local bands, like how it was back in the ’90s. People would genuinely come out to see bands like System of a Down and all those bands before they were anything.

So what exactly is Animalistic?

All: It’s one of our songs…and a yearly show.

Shaunt: I feel like bands don’t really hustle anymore. We really want to hustle and pull through, so we can bring back the scene, ya know?

How did you guys get linked up with Sonny Mayo (Sevendust/Snot)?

Shaunt: My old band called up the Whisky because we wanted to record, and they had a guy named Jeff Hannan [who] was running a studio in Studio City called Mid City Studios, and that day, by coincidence, Jeff Hannan had to go in and do something on Glee, so the substitute was Sonny Mayo. Since then, I’ve been in and out of bands and kept in touch with him, so I hit him up and let him know that I was in a new band and asked if he would help us out. He said he’d love to.

Did you take any of his band’s influences into Blackmore’s music?

Shaunt: Definitely. We definitely have some Sevendust flavor in there

That’s not a bad thing at all…

David: Not a bad thing at all.

Vahan: He’s cool. I really like his style. He really knows how to make every instrument sing, and he really knows how to create real space in the music.

Vinny: He’s the ideal mentor for a band. He’s like an older brother to us. He helps us do what we want to do.

Vahan: We didn’t want five guys and a producer. We wanted a sixth member of the band, ya know, and he fit perfectly.

Shaunt: And in LA, it’s practically impossible to find a genuinely nice guy like him. We’re so thankful.

So what’s the plan? Are you guys going to tour?

Adrian: Yes. After the EP.

And when is that coming out?

Adrian: We’re actually recording next week, so probably around March. Late February or March. We want to hit the East Coast first in the summer because when it gets cold there, it sucks. So we’ll hit that all summer, then come back to the West Coast.

Well, hopefully we’ll see you guys on a bill with Sevendust some time.

All: [Laughs]

So final question: why the name Blackmore?

Vahan: You don’t know? Ritchie? Deep Purple?

Shaunt: Honestly, we love the guy and his style is freaking awesome, but we don’t want to be directly associated with him.

Adrian: It’s just a badass name.

David: We’re actually thinking of changing all of our last names to Blackmore, kinda like the Ramones.

Blackmore will release their debut EP this spring. Keep up with the band for tour dates and EP updates at BlackmoreLA.com.

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2014/01/interview/interview-with-los-angeles-blackmore/feed/2Interview with David Sanchez of Havokhttp://lamusicblog.com/2013/11/interview/interview-with-david-sanchez-of-havok/
http://lamusicblog.com/2013/11/interview/interview-with-david-sanchez-of-havok/#commentsThu, 07 Nov 2013 22:50:31 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=102525When you think of thrash, the Big Four immediately come to mind: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. The genre is old school and one that heavy metal purists eat, sleep, and breath, which is why it may also be one of the most difficult scenes to stand out in as a new artist.

They aren’t trying to break the thrash metal mold, but Havok is certainly helping lead the charge for up-and-coming bands in the genre. Their standout guitars and impressive musicality are punctuated by the angst of vocalist David Sanchez’ lyrics. Havok adopts the genre’s classic style, but their progressive twist is why this Denver-based band has a growing international fan base and is holding their own on tour with veterans like Soulfly.

We caught up with Sanchez to talk about Havok’s rise in the genre and what the band has to look forward to in the coming months, including a first-ever run in Asia.

Havok joins Soulfly at the Viper Room tonight, November 7th, in West Hollywood, and tickets are still available.

Let’s talk about this album. I see you guys went really political with the tone of this one — is there a reason you wanted to go in that direction lyrically?

David: I didn’t write political lyrics just for the sake of being political. I wrote them because there’s good reason to be angry about a lot of things going on in the world right now. There are ample reasons for everyone to be upset, and I’m one of them.

Does the whole band share the same beliefs or do you guys ever battle each other over politics?

No, I think we’re pretty much all on the same page.

Do you publicly identify as either Democrat or Republican, or do you leave all of that pretty open?

Umm, I identify myself as a Free Thinker. I don’t think either of those two parties have their stuff together.

Has the reaction from fans been generally positive or have you had anyone actually engage you or confront you about your lyrics?

It’s been all pretty positive. I’ve actually had people come up to me and thank me for saying some of the things that I do in our songs. It’s cool.

I saw you have some overseas tour dates coming up with runs in Asia and Europe. How often have you toured outside the US?

We’ve been to Europe twice before, so this will be our third time going in a few weeks here. Then we’re going to Asia for the very first time in January.

Nice! Tell me your thoughts on this first trip…

Oh, I can’t wait! It’s going to be amazing. I can’t wait to eat food over there. Basically the plan for the whole next year is intercontinental domination.

How is your following overseas? Where do you have your biggest pockets of fans right now?

It’s hard to say; we do well in a lot of places. We do well in South America. Apparently there are enough fans in Asia for us to go over there, so we’ll see how that goes.

I know that when it comes to thrash, or really anything heavy, overseas fans go insane. Do you see a difference when you go to South America or Europe in regards to how into the genre they are?

I get that question a lot, about the difference between audiences in Europe and audiences here, and honestly, a good show here is just the same as a good show over there. Really, I think people in America go even crazier. There are definitely more circle pits here than there are in Europe. But I will say, we went down to South America back in June to play a festival in Bogota, Colombia in front of 40,000 people, and it was the most insane thing I’ve ever done in my life.

Do you guys get recognized a lot overseas?

Yeah. Actually in Colombia we couldn’t leave our dressing room without being mobbed by people. It was unreal.

Seriously, how did that feel?

Like it wasn’t even real. It still hasn’t set in that I played in front of that many people.

Now, after all of that, how was it going back home to Denver last week to play in your hometown?

It was great. It’s nice to be back at home for a day.

How is the support from Denver, particularly from the heavy metal scene?

It’s great. We get a lot of love in Denver because we fly the Colorado flag high when we’re out on the road. The first thing I say every night is, “We’re Havok from Denver, Colorado.” We’re trying to put Denver on the map for heavy metal.

Is there anyone else coming up out of Denver in heavy metal that’s helping with that movement? I know Allegaeon (Metal Blade Records) is doing well.

I’d say as far as bands that are touring, have deals, and are doing bigger things, it’s us, Allegaeon, Cephalic Carnage, and Speedwolf.

If you had a wishlist for either bands you wanted to tour with, or anything you wanted to happen with Havok in the next year, what would be at the top?

In the next year….

I mean, besides touring in Asia, let’s put that away. Do you want to hit Mayhem Festival, bigger tours…

Yes. I would love to do Mayhem Festival, I would love to hit Wacken, or HellFest in France. And at some point I’d love the opportunity to tour with Metallica, Slayer, or Megadeth. Or Iron Maiden. I would shit my pants to go out with any of those bands.

I feel like thrash is such an old-school genre and that there aren’t many bands keeping thrash new and relevant. There are a few bands coming up…I mean, is that what you guys are trying to do at all?

Totally. And yeah, there are a few bands that come to mind. One of my favorite bands is called Psychosomatic. They’re from Sacramento, California. Hardly anyone knows about them — they’re amazing. There’s also a new band from Dallas called Power Trip, who are great. I’d say those are two of my favorite newer bands. And obviously I’m a huge fan of Skeletonwitch. Their new album is really great.

What are you guys doing differently than other bands in the genre? Are you taking a new approach to thrash or are you following the mold of Anthrax, Slayer, Megadeth — is it something you don’t want to mess with? Is thrash something that needs to be revived?

We’re just trying to revive thrash, really. We’re just trying to revive tight, fast heavy metal with sweet riffs and cool guitar solos, ya know? We sneak in a lot of other flavors into our music. For instance, we have a lot more slap bass than any other metal bands that I know. There’s also a heavy influence in our music from jazz and classic rock. Even classical music.

How’s the Soulfly tour been going?

Great! We only have a few dates left, but it’s really been great so far.

Have you had many chances to chat with Max Cavalera?

For the most part he kind of hangs out on the bus and isn’t around most of the time. But I sought him out a couple times and we chit-chatted for a bit.

Nice, did you learn anything from him on this run?

Ummm, I don’t know if I necessarily learned anything — besides how to be a cool band. [LAUGHS] I mean, he’s definitely an influence on our music.

Any final thoughts as you head into the end of this run and get ready to head overseas again?

Yeah. I just want to thank anyone who’s ever bought a CD or a shirt or come to a show. Or anyone who told their friends about us because without those people we would not exist.

Find Havok updates, tour dates, and information on where to snag the latest album, Unnatural Selectionon their website.

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2013/11/interview/interview-with-david-sanchez-of-havok/feed/0Show Review: David Bazan Band @ The Troubadourhttp://lamusicblog.com/2012/12/review/david-bazan-band-the-troubadour/
http://lamusicblog.com/2012/12/review/david-bazan-band-the-troubadour/#commentsThu, 13 Dec 2012 18:00:35 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=74152Davad Bazan is my favorite vocalist from any band I’ve ever heard. There, I said it, and I’m not at all worried that I’ve painted myself into a corner. I’ve heard a lot, but his vocal range, distinct sound, and cut-to-the-core lyrics resonate deeper within me than anything I’ve heard thus far in my musical history. Having said this, I threw a mental party when I saw he would be playing Control from his Pedro the Lion days in its entirety at the Troubadour this month, but wasn’t even slightly surprised to see the show quickly sell out.

After the opening performance by sibling duo Stagnant Pools, Bazan and supporting tour members Andy Fits and Alex Westcoat took to the stage to do their own final sound check. The audience kept quiet in anticipation, but with the opening notes of “Options” (reflective of Control‘s opening track), each onlooker was right on point with head-nodding and silent lip-syncing. I have to give credit to the crowd — this was a true following of people who knew word-for-word every song performed.

I was curious to see how the performance would play out. I knew better than to think that Bazan would just play Control from start to finish, but I was elated to hear him move beyond Pedro the Lion songs. The band branched out with songs such as “Gas and Matches” from his project Headphones as well as tracks pulled from his solo material. From within Pedro the Lion’s catalog, Bazan wasn’t restricted to Control; “When They Really Get to Know You, They Will Run” from It’s Hard to Find a Friend elicited significant applause from the audience (as well as from myself).

Despite the fact that the venue was packed to the brim just for them, the band kept a refreshingly humble demeanor. They not only took the time to talk to the audience, but also honored and answered questions from the crowd. From his feelings about Spotify to his initial thought process behind Control, Bazan honored a forum-like open discussion between songs. With such an extensive history of consistently great music, we all listened to anything he had to say earnestly. There was no chatter between songs (again, credit to the crowd); there was simply patience and involvement, which led to a greater appreciation of the displayed talent.

The highlight of the performance was a tie between Pedro the Lion’s “Magazine,” with the percussion culminating with the chorus, and Bazan’s own “Eating Paper” from Strange Negotiations, which, despite my reservations, was equally beautiful without the keys present in the album recording. Though I did hope to hear “Wolves at the Door,” the performance was flawlessly executed, each song evoking the deepest human emotions and experiences, and with songs such as “Second Best,” provocative even.

“You know we don’t fuck with encores,” Bazan stated, and after the last song, the room quickly emptied into the even smaller merch area and sidewalk, with people seeking relief from the overly concentrated space. Overall, Bazan’s performance was as consistent as his last albums, his talent translates equally across recorded and live platforms, and my initial statement about him being my favorite vocalist remains true and unchallenged.

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2012/12/review/david-bazan-band-the-troubadour/feed/1Grieves & Budo @ The Troubadourhttp://lamusicblog.com/2011/10/review/grieves-budo-the-troubadour/
http://lamusicblog.com/2011/10/review/grieves-budo-the-troubadour/#commentsMon, 24 Oct 2011 20:00:30 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=44029The most talented of emcees, producers, and DJs dropped by the Troubadour Thursday night to perform to a packed house of Los Angelinos. Hailing from Rhymesayers, the same indie hip-hop label as rap veteran Atmosphere, the set list went something like this: MC Type, Prof & DJ Fundo, and headliners Grieves & Budo. The sold-out West Hollywood show was the twenty-eighth stop on their first ever headlining tour, named “Together/Apart” after their new album that was released in June.

If I had to choose just one word to summarize this show, it’d be UNREAL! There was so much creativity and talent oozing off the stage that at one point, I felt my head was certain to explode. I was right–eventually it did!

Grieves & Budo have been popping up on everyone’s musical radar these days, and if you haven’t heard of them, then the only logical explanation would be that you’re living under a rock…or just relying on those radio stations for your daily musical fix. I was lucky enough to be introduced to their work by a friend awhile back, and the rest is history. It was love at first track! That seems to be the consensus all around. Earlier this summer, MTV premiered Grieves & Budo’s music video for the single “On The Rocks,” so I am extremely psyched to inform you that these guys are finally getting the exposure they deserve!

In addition to the newly released Together/Apart, Grieves has released three previous albums in the last four years by the names of Irreversible, 88 Keys and Counting, and The Confessions of Mr. Modest, all of which are worth buying/listening to. This Chicago native by way of Seattle has locked his craft down. He’s nearly mastered his art form and only puts out consistent and confident records.

The new album is an attestation to just how solid this guy is as a rapper, so don’t walk, RUN to buy Together/Apart. It. Is. Brilliant. Stay on the lookout for singles “Bloody Poetry,” “On The Rocks,” “Against The Bottom,” and “Lightspeed.” My personal favorite tracks are “Boogie Man” and “Heartbreak Hotel,” but really who am I kidding? It’s all good!

Photo by: Bryant Shim

Now on to the show… I’ve seen Grieves & Budo perform three times now, and I have to say the third time was a charm! Don’t get me wrong, the other two performances I saw–at this year’s Paid Dues and Van’s Warped Tour festivals–were great. However, there’s something about headlining that changes the whole essence of an artist’s performance. They just completely let loose and gave fans their absolute all, which Grieves & Budo did, zooming off the side of the stage and immediately hitting the crowd with “Bloody Poetry” as the show’s opener. The song’s soulful piano accompaniment just made you want to close your eyes and vibe with it. Hands started to go up, bodies started moving, fans started singing, and the set had officially begun!

The entire show was kick-ass, I’m sorry there’s just no other way to put it! Grieves brought his A-game, rapping and singing to his songs with passion and energy. He chatted it up with the audience and just looked like he was having a good ol’ time all around. In addition to the rapper himself, producer Budo also shared the stage and was giving us one hell of a performance.

The Seattle native by way of Brooklyn has produced Grieves’ last two albums, and the outcomes have been unfathomably excellent, a match made in musical heaven no doubt! To put it modestly, Budo’s a one man band. During the show he busted out an electric guitar, then all of a sudden he had a trumpet in his hand, then he was back playing the keys, all the while you’re thinking “WOW! Is that one man up there really doing ALL that?” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he is, and I’d bet good money that that’s not even the half of it.

Photo by: Bryant Shim

This collaboration is one of the most well fit and innovative that I’ve seen in a while! Grieves & Budo fed off of each other’s energy throughout the entire performance in a way that was contagious. By the end of the set, when the duo performed their hit “I Ate Your Soul” off the Irreversible album, the whole crowd had been taken over by that energy. Everyone just started singing the lyrics, perfectly clear, and extremely LOUD! Other old favorites that were performed were “Scar Gardens,” “Pack It Up” (which may be the best modern-day rap/love song around), “Irreversible,” and the show’s closer, “Gwenevieve.”

A little before the show started, I caught Budo standing out by the merchandise table. “First headlining tour, how’s it going?” I asked. “It’s like a huge science experiment. We just didn’t know what to expect!” he responded wide-eyed. So I edged on, “Good turnout at all the shows?” What I received back was a definitive and excited “Yes!”

While my friends were in line to get some autographs and buy some merchandise after the show ended, I got to talking to MC Type & Prof, the two performers who opened for Grieves & Budo. Everyone was in an infectiously good mood, cracking jokes here, snapping pictures there, handing out CDs, etc. The place was alive with fans and artists just sharing anecdotes and enjoying themselves!

When it finally came time to talk to Grieves & Budo, I snapped a few shots, thanked them for a great show, and asked Grieves the following: “So how was LA tonight? Did we do you proud?” He answered “Yes,” so I threw another one at him: “Were they rowdy?” “No not rowdy,” he told me, “They were perfect!” Well, what a coincidence! Those were my thoughts exactly…Grieves & Budo, you guys were PERFECT that night!

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2011/10/review/grieves-budo-the-troubadour/feed/1Dita Von Teese and Murray Hill @ The Roxy!http://lamusicblog.com/2011/05/review/dita-von-teese-and-murray-hill-the-roxy/
http://lamusicblog.com/2011/05/review/dita-von-teese-and-murray-hill-the-roxy/#commentsMon, 23 May 2011 17:30:04 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=33477On May 17 and 18, Dita Von Teese and friends performed 4 jaw dropping SOLD OUT shows at the Roxy in West Hollywood. The nights were emceed by legendary NYC comedian Murray Hill and featured some of the best in burlesque, with performances by Raja from “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” Lada, La Cholita, Monsieur Romeo, Perle Noir, and Diamondback Annie. It was truly a night of beauty, mayhem, booby shakes, and delicate pasties!

Every costume Dita wore (and took off) was exquisite. I had never seen her in person before, and I have to say she is a true vision. Every inch of her is impeccable, and she literally looks like she stepped off the page of a ’40s pinup magazine or an old movie you’d watch on AMC with your Nana. And her waist! O-M-G, it is TINY! She makes Scarlett O’Hara look like the Kool-Aid Man!

Inside the Roxy, there were those who bought seats and those, like myself, who had general admission standing room only. Dividing the sitters and the standers was a runway stretching out from the stage. Since my girlfriend and I got there early, we were able to stand against the runway and basically be right in the middle of all the action. So close that Dita hit my girlfriend in the face with a giant Japanese fan (So awesome! And don’t worry, she was very sweet and apologized.)

Highlights of Dita’s show included her splashing around in a giant martini glass, watching her emerge from a giant compact then powdering herself with a big powder puff, and for her finale, a beautiful and elaborate Asian-themed act set to matching background music that was actually cleverly disguised versions of “Lullabye” by The Cure and “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John.

In between all the performances, Murray Hill kept the crowd in stitches. I laughed so hard and smiled so much that my face literally hurt. If you aren’t familiar with Murray, he has this certain charm about him. His schtick is that he dresses like an olden timey Catskills, NY comedian with polyester suits and a snazzy tie for every occasion. He’s got so many tongue-in-cheek one liners that you have to mentally jog to keep up.

Murray has been an acclaimed NY night life fixture for many years, hosting burlesque shows, bingo nights, Christmas extravaganzas, and the annual Miss Lez Pageant. Besides TV and films, he has appeared in many music videos, toured with Le Tigre, hosted The Gossip, and introduced the Beastie Boys, Antony and The Johnsons, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, to name a few. Basically, they don’t call him “the hardest working middle-aged man in show business” for nothing!!

Dita and Murray also performed a similar show late last year in LA, so this was their second stint together. Since they have had two hugely successful runs, I’m hoping this means that the two of them will be back again soon. If you didn’t get to catch them before, you definitely need to nab tickets if any future shows are announced.

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2011/05/review/dita-von-teese-and-murray-hill-the-roxy/feed/0Liz Phair Charms the Crowd @ The Troubadourhttp://lamusicblog.com/2011/03/review/liz-phair-charms-the-crowd-the-troubadour/
http://lamusicblog.com/2011/03/review/liz-phair-charms-the-crowd-the-troubadour/#commentsSat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:38 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=28809Wednesday night Liz Phair played a very cool, intimate show at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. She looked gorgeous and happy as the crowd seemed to bask in her presence. I noticed everyone in there, even those in the mezzanine, was dancing, smiling, and having a genuinely good time. I even caught one dude staring, mouth completely agape, like no shame in his game, throughout her entire set! She just has that effect I guess. I don’t know if it’s just simply her smile or her easygoing rapport with the crowd, but she definitely has a real warmth and charm about her. By the end of the night, you felt like you had fun with Liz, and not like you were just being sung at.

She opened with “Supernova” and continued with all her fan favorites, concentrating on her early Exile in Guyville and Whipsmart albums. Much to my delight, as well as I’m sure everyone else’s too, she played “Divorce Song,” “6’1”,” “Nashville” (ugh, LOVE that song!), “Fuck and Run,” “Mesmerizing,” “Stratford-On-Guy,” “Extraordinary,” and “Why Can’t I,” among many others that included at least one new song and one from Funstyle. I was trying to write down all the songs, but she was playing way too many of my favorites so the whole “taking notes” thing kinda went out the window.

Besides her awesome set list, one of the other highlights of the night was when Liz invited a willing participant from the crowd to come on stage and sing back-up on her oh-so-raunchy classic “Flower.” A murmur went through the audience as people were trying to decide if they had the nerve to go up there or not. Some people were quietly on the fence while others were muttering phrases like, “Oh hells to the no!” or “Omg, I wish.” After a few tense seconds of debate, one girl decided she was going to do it. She actually got up there on stage and took up her own mic! And she even had a sort of mini practice session with Liz.

The girl was really good too, and when the song ended, she got a big hug from Liz and a freakin’ awesome memory forever. Man, I woulda jumped on that stage so fast if my voice wasn’t akin to the sound of a high-pitched fart or who was that “She Bangs” guy from American Idol? Yeah, no one needs another version of that guy, so I stayed out of it. But it was very awesome of Liz, and that girl did fantastic!

Currently Liz is working on new songs, so hopefully we’ll be seeing more of her in the future. Check out my pics from the night below, and if you still want more, you can check out my recent interview with her.

]]>http://lamusicblog.com/2011/03/review/liz-phair-charms-the-crowd-the-troubadour/feed/0Amon Amarth Announce US Tourhttp://lamusicblog.com/2011/02/news/amon-amarth-announce-us-tour/
http://lamusicblog.com/2011/02/news/amon-amarth-announce-us-tour/#commentsFri, 11 Feb 2011 22:49:02 +0000http://lamusicblog.com/?p=25417Following their maiden voyage on the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise earlier this year, viking metallers Amon Amarth have just announced their triumphant return to the US in support of their upcoming release, Surtur Rising. Dubbed “An Evening with Amon Amarth,” the tour will embark on April 14th in Chicago, with the band performing two separate sets at each stop on the trek.

Drummer Fredrik Andersson commented:

“We’re really excited about the upcoming album, Surtur Rising. And what better way to showcase it by playing the full album on our first U.S. tour for Surtur Rising?! It’s definitely a unique opportunity for our fans because not only will the album be performed live but a second set with material from our previous albums will take place. We want our fans to really experience Amon Amarth.”

Surtur Rising, Amon Amarth’s eighth studio offering, will see a March 29th release date through Metal Blade Records. In anticipation, the band has launched www.surturrising.com with album news and pre-orders available for North America and Europe.